Syllogisms
Basics
The syllogism comes in 3 propositions and has 3 terms
Terms
Major term: Term taken in the major premise
Minor term: Term taking in the minor premise
Middle term: Term that links the aforementioned terms together
Premises
Major premise: Premise that asserts a relationship between the major term and the middle term
Major premise: Premise that asserts a relationship between the minor term and the middle term
Conclusion: Assuming the premises are true, it is then proved the major and minor terms are linked.
Figures
Figure 1
The middle term is a subject in one premise and a predicate in the other
Example
- All mammals are creatures that have hair.
- All dogs are mammals.
- Therefore, all dogs are creatures that have hair.
Figure 2
The middle term is the predicate of both premises.
Example
- No states with coastlines are states that are landlocked.
- Some U.S. states are states that are landlocked.
- Therefore, some U.S. states are not states with coastlines.
Figure 3
The middle term is the subject of both premises.
Example
Modern Interpretation
Info on Figure 4 and how ordering of the terms was deemed to be of concern. New definitions of the terms (major term is the predicate of the conclusion specifically)
This is important has Hegel does call this out but does not use it in his logic. I have not read this part of the SoL yet but I assume he takes like others have the ordering per Figure 1 doesn't matter and the reflections in this "Figure 4" are just Figure 1 with the Conclusion ordering reversed. While this may have some importance in other ways, I can see that the end result likely has no relevancy for Hegel's investigation of the logic.